Section Reviews; Anti-infectives: Section Review Anti-infectives: Quinolone antibacterials and derivatives as antineoplastic agents

Abstract

4-quinolone antibacterials represent a new class of potent, safe therapeutants to combat bacterial infections. The qualities that render quinolones so effective in therapy-potency, specificity, pharmacokinetics, bioavailability - are the same qualities that also make quinolones an interesting class of potential antitumour agents. From the initial discovery of the activity of several newer quinolones as potent mammalian topoisomerase II inhibitors, numerous laboratories have worked to identify and develop quinolones as antitumour agents. Whilst no single candidate has yet advanced into later stage clinical trials, there remains intense interest in this class. Quinolones may represent a future cytotoxic therapeutic class of antitumour drugs if issues related to toxicity and therapeutic index are resolved. Laboratory examination indicates that numerous quinolone and quinolone-related series have met or surpassed the intrinsic potency of antitumour agents currently in clinical usage.

Key Words:

• quinolones
• topoisomerase II
• DNA gyrase
• antitumour